.223/5.56 load and OAL check

[rjacobs]

Been loading on my 550 for a few weeks now all pistol. Just picked up the .223 dies and a super swage tonight and am going to start learning the rifle re-loading. I picked up some Hodgdon H335 to use as powder and some Hornady 55g FMJBT bullets. I also got some CCI400 small rifle primers. From my research through the books as well as on several sites(here, brianenos and the hodgdon website) I have come up with using 25g of H335. It is in spec and is right under the max(25.3) from Hodgdon. Is this powder load for the 55g FMJBT bullet good or should I start at 23g and work up from there and see what my guns(DDM4 and SWMP15) like?

As far as OAL goes some people are saying to seat until only a very small amount of the canular is visible out of the case and not to really worry about the actual OAL except to make sure the rounds function in the mags. Is this sound advice? I have seen OAL numbers from 2.2 through about 2.26 being the longest most people say is acceptable and still function in the mags.

[Low Drag]

Various reloading books etc will have different OAL.

I like to take a factory load that shoots well from my gun and try to duplicate it. Take a 55 gr FMJ round that performs well for you and measure its OAL. Use that as a template.

If you can chono the factory load and try to match the velocity too.

[JStor]

I keep all my AR15 loads from 2.250-2.260 inches measuring from the bullet tip. From the same box of bullets you will get variance, so it is prudent to check the ammo length rather than risk a malfunction. Just set up the seating die so the longest bullet will make a cartridge no longer than 2.260 inches.

[herd48]

rj- I load 335 @ 25.5 grains. My manuals say 27.0 as max. As far as OAL. I have these loaded to 2.240. The problem with using the canular as a guide is that you will have to make sure all of your brass is trimmed to the same length all the time. Otherwise you get a variety of OAL's. BTW- 25.5 grs shoots very well. And also. I use SRM primers. Good luck.
***Made change on max load. 27 grs, not 27.5 sorry.

[rjacobs]

rj- I load 335 @ 25.5 grains. My manuals say 27.5 as max. As far as OAL. I have these loaded to 2.240. The problem with using the canular as a guide is that you will have to make sure all of your brass is trimmed to the same length all the time. Otherwise you get a variety of OAL's. BTW- 25.5 grs shoots very well. And also. I use SRM primers. Good luck.

Thanks for the input.

25.5g of H335 is even above what Hodgdon recommends, but I guess thats for .223 and not 5.56, but I have a bunch of mixed cases so I am just going to load for the .223, even though I dont think it makes that much difference. What book do you have?

I get you on using the canular(or actually not using it) to set OAL, none of my brass currently needs trimming as it is all currently under the 1.76 max case length so I am not inclined to trim the brass just yet, but it is all of slightly varying length. I have read the 2.24 number quite a bit and using 2.26 as a max due to magazine fit.

As far as the primers I have CCI 400 regular SR primers. Next time I buy them I will pick up SRM primers instead. I simply wasn't aware when I picked everything up that the H335 recommended a SRM primer.

[herd48]

rj- Lyman shows 27gr and Lee shows 27.0 as max. I have not seen signs of pressure. I have loaded up to 26.5 They shoot fine. They are fairly stout. Like a good 556 round. It won't take long for you to have to trim. Measure after you resize. And magnum or 556 designated primers are recommended because they have thicker cups. More powder doesnt mean better. 25.5 is accurate. 25.5 is now my go to load for 55gr bullets when using 335. But my most accurate loads are with Varget. 25.5grs Varget with 55gr FMJ(193) surplus) and 62gr FMJ(109) steel core are very accurate in my 2 AR's.

[rjacobs]

Thanks for the info. I am gonna start with 25g since its almost the max that Hodgdon recommends for the .223 and the H335 powder. As far as case trimming, dont have to do it right now, they are all good, but I am sure I am gonna have to do it, if not next time, the one after. I am researching the electric trimmers that you setup in a die station, but $250-300 is a bit much since I am not, right now, planning to shoot tons of .223.

One thing I figured out today though was to make sure to get case lube into the mouth of the case as well as to spray into the die itself. Stuck cases are a bitch to get out of the die when you dont use enough case lube(or get it into the proper places).

[moneymaker]

i use 24.5 to 25.0 of h335 with 55grn pills,OAL is 2.245 to 2.250 and i use standard small rifle primers,i trim all of mine to 1.745 and use a LFC die on them all.5.56 Cases i load down a bit as they dont have the capacity of 223 cases. Alliant Reloader #7 is also a favorite of mine for 50grn,52grn and 55 grn pills

[jmart]

Given that the delta between trimmed and untrimmed cases is supposed to be only .010", and given that you probbaly will crimp your reloaded rounds, I recommend you set seating depth to correspond to the cannelure on your Horn 55s.

If you have an unusually short case you might see a situation where the cannelure is above the case mouth, but that should be the exception. If your cases run between 1.750 and 1.760", you'll be well served by setting seating depth on your longest cases to correspond to the upper portion of the cannelure. Anything that's within .010" of this length will fall a bit lower on the cannelure, but all of your crimps will be contained within the heigth of the cannelure.

[HelloLarry]

Stick with seating to 2.25" and you'll never have any problems. Seat to 2.26" and you will eventually have some rounds get caught up in the magazine.
Even match bullets out of the same box will vary in length by almost .02".

[Hound_va]

5.56 Cases i load down a bit as they dont have the capacity of 223 cases.

This has been proven to be incorrect for the 5.56.